Handcuff



Jan. 5, 1937. Y. slvuTH-s'l-ANGEA HANDCUFF Filed May 15, 1935 a S imam a @i W .f @B

-55 threads 20. The threads 2D are of opposite pitch projecting beyond the shoulder has anfinternal 55 Patented Jan. 5, 1937 HANBCUFF Yngve Smith-Stange, Chicago, llll., assignor to Argus Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Jill., a corporation of Illinois Appiication May 13, 1935, Serial No. 21,078

2 Claims. (Cl. 70-24) The invention relates to handcuffs adapted for to that of the threads i 9 so that upon rotation of use by police ofcers and more particularly to the spindle, the actuating member i, which is the type comprising a pair of jaws pivotally supheld against rotation by the body, is moved longiported by a body member, a rotatable operator tudinally of the spindle, thus swinging the jaws for moving saidjaws to open and closed positions, l3. Preferably, the threads are of a steep 5 and a sleeve rotatable with said operator and pitch in order to give the actuating member a having ratchet teeth engageable with correspondreiatively large longitudinal movement for a small ing teeth on the body member and adapted to rotative movement of the spindle, such that, for prevent opening of the jaws except when desired. example, the jaws will move through their com- 10 In prior constructions having the teeth eX- plete range for a half a turn of the spindle. The 10 posed, the sleeve is ordinarily grasped between spindle Hi projects well beyond the body and on two fingers to disengage the ratchet teeth for its outer end has a handle bar 25 by which it may opening the jaws, and in so doing, the fingers be readily turned.

press against the ratchet teeth. Due to the sharp- To hold the jaws in their closed position, a ness of these teeth, the ngers are apt to be ratchet device is provided which prevents rota- 15 pinched and cut or otherwise injured. tion of the spindle in an opening directlon except The general object of the invention is therefore when released. To this end, a ratchet sleeve 22 to provide a co-nstruction in which the fingers canis mounted on the spindle la for rotation therenot come in contact With the ratchet teeth When with but is slidable longitudinally thereof for a moving the sleeve. limited distance, a pin and slot connection 23 be- 20 Other objects and advantages will become aptween the sleeve and spindle being provided for parent from the following description taken in this purpose. The sleeve 22 has formed thereon connection With the accompanyng drawing, in ratchet teeth El cooperating with similar ratchet which: teeth 25 formed on the end of the hub li. To

25 Figure 1 is a view partially in section of a handlock both sets of ratchet teeth in engagement and 25 cuif embodying the features of the invention, and thus prevent rotation of the spindle in either showing the ratchet teeth in their engaged posidirection, a looking sleeve 25 is threaded on the tion. spindle Hi and is adapted to be turned into en- Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 1 gagement with a shoulder or rib 21' on the ratchet but showing the teeth in disengaged position. sleeve 22. When the looking sleeve 26 is turned 30 Fig. 3 is a perspectve view of a part of the out of engagement with the ratchet sleeve, a coil device. spring 28 mounted on the spindle and enclosed by As illustrated heroin, the type of h-andcuff in the looking sleeve bears against the ratchet sleeve which the present invention is embodied comand yieldingly holds the ratchet teeth in engageprises a body lt having a cylindrical hub H exment. The teeth on the ratchet sleeve may, how- 35 tending therefrom and a transverse elongated ever, be moved out of engagement with the teeth slot iz. A pair of curved jaws 13 have their inon the body il, against the action of the spring, ner ends positioned within the slot IZ and are in order to open the jaws IS. secured therein by means of pivot pins lt. The The principal feature of my invention is to Operating means for the jaws iS comprises an provide a construction in which the ratchet teeth 40 actuating member i interposed between the ends are enclosed so that the fingers cannot come in of the jaws i3 within the slot I 2. The actuating contact with them when the handle bar Zi is [member IE is provided with rounded ends IG engrasped in the palm of the hand and the sleeve gaging in sockets il formed in the inner ends 22 extends between the fingers as shown in Fig. 1.

of the jaws. To this end, the` hub l i and the ratchet sleeve are 45 To operate the actuating member I5, a rotary constructed so that one telescopes within the shaft or spind'le IG extends axially through the other, With the ratchet teeth of both within the hub li and into the slot IZ for engagement With telescoping portions. T'hus, the interengagement the actuating member l5. The spindle l8 is of the teeth is permitted but they are so enclosed adapted to move the actuating member l5 to that the fingers are kept out of contact with the 50 swing the jaws, and for this purpose has a screwteeth.

threaded engagement with the body li! by means In the preferred construction, the sleeve 22 is of the threads IS, and a similar engagement With formed With an internal shoulder 36 in which the actuating member l5 through the medium of the teeth are cut, and the portion of the sleeve diameter permitting it to telescope over the end of the hub H. The length of the sleeve is suicient to extend beyond the ratchet teeth 25 on the hub for such a distance that, even when the teeth 24 are disengaged from the teeth 25, the latter are completely enclosed by the collar 38.

When the device so constructed is grasped in the hand With the sleeve 22 extending between the fingers, the sleeve p-rovides a smooth external surface against Which the fingers press. Since the sleeve 22 extends over and encloses the teeth 25 on the hub, even When the hub and sleeve, are separated to permit relative rotation therebetween, the fingers are prevented from coming in contact With the ratchet teeth and thus cannot be cut or otherwise injured thereby.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a handcuif comprising a body member, a pair of pivoted jaws therein, and a rotatable operator for said jaws, the cornbination of a hub on said body coaxial with said operator and having ratchet teeth on its outer end, and a sleeve on said operator rotatable With but axially slidable relative to the operator and having an inaoeaese ternal shoulder provided With ratchet teeth coacting With said first-mentioned ratchet teeth, said sleeve being adapted to be grasped between the fingers for separating the ratchet teeth to release the jaWs and telescoping over said hub, said sleeve having sufiicient length to cover said ratchet teeth to prevent the ngers from contacting said ratchet teeth.

2. In a handcuff comprising a body member, a pair of pivoted jaWs therein, and a rotatable operator for said ja-Ws, the combination of a hub portion on said body member rotatably supporting said operator, and a sleeve on said operator rotatable With but axially slidable relative to said operator and having a portion extending adjacent said hub portion, said portions having coacting ratchet teeth With one of said portions telescoping over the. other to completely enclose the ratchet teeth and providing a smooth surface adapted to be positioned between the fingers, the outer of said portions being dimensioned to prevent contact of the fingers With other parts of the device.

YNGVE SMITH-STANGE. 

